Finished: Goodship Dress

Recently I had the pleasure of testing a pattern for One Girl Circus. Karen LePage, the pattern designer, has designed for Patterns by Figgy's and co-authored Sewing for Boys. This is her first pattern with One Girl Circus -- the Goodship Dress.

I wasn't sure this pattern would fit Eliza when I agreed to test it. First, Eliza's tiny and I knew the length would need adjusting. Second, I wondered if the unique collar and bow would overwhelm her little frame.

It turned out beautifully.

The pattern itself was well designed and easy to follow. It took some time to print the PDF and piece it together, but I like the instant nature of digital downloadable patterns. The explanations made sense. The pieces came together logically.

I did have to shorten the dress considerably, but technically the size was a 2T. The great thing about it is the chest is relatively adjustable with the bow and inverted pleat.

Getting a crisp seam on that inverted pleat worked because I used a trick from Megan Nielsen -- spraying a 50/50 water/vinegar mix onto a paper bag and pressing. (I used card stock. Same principle.)

The only part that gave me drama was the bias binding around the arm and neck holes. Luckily I got more practice on that technique during KCWC and sewing Eliza's a-line tunic, so the next arm holes should be better. In fact, I'm planning to try a winter version of the Goodship Dress with puffed long sleeves to eliminate the binding on the armholes altogether.

It looks uneven, doesn't it? It's the camera angle (I hope).

Here's the link to the Goodship Dress pattern! Check it out!